Deakin Residents Association is applying for Community Participation Projects support from the 2023-2024 ACT Heritage Grants Program. These are projects that will ‘actively engage people in understanding, celebrating and promoting heritage places and objects through education (of all ages), oral histories, tourism, digitisation, interpretation and events.’

Our proposal is to erect signage at Deakin shops and two or three other sites such as Latrobe Park, The Lodge Park and Rosemary Dobson Park on Deakin’s historical aspects, significant houses, wider architectural issues, streetscapes, parks biodiversity, plus geology such as the anticline.,

The signs will have QR codes linked to a website where other material can be stored including acknowledgment of supporters of the project and their enterprises. Logos of supporters can also be displayed on the Canberra Tracks signs.

If commercial entities would like to be included, can you get back to me as soon as possible and ideally before 27 April which is the deadline for us to lodge the application?

An indication of commercial support by donation would also enhance our proposal to the Granting agency.

We invite you to a seminar on trackless trams and other public transport options for Canberra.

When: 8^th May, 2023         

Time: 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm.

Where: Canberra College Theatre, Phillip, ACT

The seminar aims to provide Canberrans with an insight into alternative public transport technologies/solutions that are available/will be available to improve public transport in Canberra — alternatives that could provide a more efficient, cost effective, public transport system. The seminar will feature three keynote speakers who will present papers on:

• driverless cars
• electric buses
• trackless trams.

The highlight of the night is expected to be the trackless tram presentation by Alex Paton, who has some 30 years’ experience in the infrastructure sector, and is currently employed by a company that provides access to leading edge technology, suitable for the mass transit market, including Digital Rail Transit (also known as a Trackless Tram). The other two speakers are local, well qualified and well-known. After the presentations, the speakers will form a panel and take questions from the floor.

Attendance at the seminar is by invitation only (numbers are limited by fire regulations). We are sending invites to residents’ groups and community councils, current and former Canberra MLAs, members of business groups and other interested parties.

If you are interested in attending, could you please let us know as soon as possible, by email to president@deakinresidents.asn.au so we send you a ticket closer to the seminar date?

This meeting is supported by the Deakin and Yarralumla Residents Associations, assisted by Anthony Senti.

If you have any questions, please contact John Bell on 0438 732 953.

Inner South Canberra Community Council
Public Forum 11 April, 7pm: Engage with elected representatives about Planning Review
East Lake Football Club, 3 Oxley Street, Griffith
Find out about East Lake Place Plan

Planning Review

The Legislative Assembly is likely to debate in May the new Planning Bill which will pave the way for a massive change in the way decisions are made about planning matters in the ACT, from a rules-based to an “outcomes based” planning system.

The ISCCC made a about the Planning Bill in November 2022 to the Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Transport and City Services. A summary is also attached of the ISCCC’s Key Asks that will be presented at our public forum on 11 April.

The Standing Committee reported to the Assembly in December. The ISCCC considers the Committee’s report is excellent and responds to many of our concerns. We urge the ACT Government to accept the Committee’s recommendations:

https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/2156792/PTCS-Report-12-Inquiry-into-Planning-Bill-2022-Final-Report-SIGNED.pdf

Since the Standing Committee handed down its report, the ISCCC, member groups and the community have had a chance to go through the new draft Territory Plan and District Strategies to see how the proposed Outcomes Based Planning System will work in practice.

We have found a proposed planning system that will create uncertainty about what requirements will be mandated for new developments, given that “rules” will give way to more subjective assessments by planners about whether developments meet vaguely worded “outcomes”.

This is in the context of the lack of an evaluation by Government of the planning outcomes of the Mr Fluffy dual occupancy program. This raises questions about whether there would be a genuine commitment to monitoring and evaluation of a much bigger, ACT wide “outcomes based” planning system.

Now is a good time to speak with our elected representatives to hear their responses to the ISCCC’s Key Asks before they participate in the Assembly debate about the Planning Bill. That’s why we have invited three MLAs to our forum on 11 April:

• Rachel Stephen-Smith, Labor member for Kurrajong
• Rebecca Vassarotti, Greens member for Kurrajong
• Peter Cain, Liberal Shadow Minister for Planning

Please come along and hear what they have to say.

Find out more about the East Lake Place Plan

At our 11 April public forum, we will also have three speakers provide information and perspectives on the recently released East Lake Place Plan which is out for comment:

• Ben Riches, Senior Director, Implementation and Coordination, Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate
• Donna Fitzgerald-Verrent, resident of The Causeway
• Rob Evans, President, Fyshwick Business Association

The ISCCC looks forward to seeing you at our public forum.

 Register at:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/isccc-public-forum-11-april-2023-tickets-604718408037

There is a difference between knowing a house and knowing about it.

Growing Up Modern is Roger Benjamin’s fascinating tribute to his childhood home, Canberra’s innovative and iconic building: the Round House. Appearing broadly circular from its exterior, the Round House was—in actuality—of a Pythagorean, geometrical design. Complete with a glass cylinder down its centre and accentuated with rich mahogany beams and unique handmade furniture by Krimper, the Round House is reckoned to be a modernist masterpiece, winning Australian House of the Year in 1958 and becoming Heritage Listed in 2003.

The book is striking not only in the beauty and eccentricity of the author’s childhood home, but in the retelling of the lives of those people who were integral to the house’s creation. It was commissioned by affluent philosopher and professor, Bruce Benjamin, and his wife Audrey, a daughter of the CEO of Carlton and United Breweries, become writer and environmental activist. The Round House architect was Czech refugee Alex Jelinek, who was a brilliant student of Modernist Architecture in Prague before he fled his homeland by hijacking a plane post World War II. Alex Jelinek was also known for helping to construct Australia’s Snowy Hydro Scheme.

Growing Up Modern is a comprehensively rich text set against many social and cultural forces in history: from Communist Czechoslovakia post World War II, to the impact of Modernism in the Canberra of the 50s, and the psychedelic influence of the 60s and 70s on the newly widowed Audrey as she raised her young children on her own. The story of the Round House is not simply nostalgia for the author’s childhood—richly captured in this visual record—but the celebration of legacy, architecture, love and art.

The design and construction of the Round House has been meticulously documented by Roger Benjamin.

Wide pages and full colour throughout.

Nothing is so uniquely personal to a man as his memories. Our inner lives revolve around their contemplation, and in guarding their privacy we seem almost to be protecting the very basis of our personalities.

In 2023, Floriade Community will return for its fourth year, expanding Floriade’s signature blooms beyond Commonwealth Park and into Canberra’s suburbs.

Events ACT are seeking applications from eligible community groups/organisations to participate in Floriade Community and add some extra colour to our city in Spring.

The Floriade Community program will provide bulbs and annuals to successful applicants to plant and maintain in their local area.

Applications close at 5pm on Sunday 2 April 2023

DRA is considering applying – WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP

Locations are required to be visible to a large number of Canberrans who can enjoy the plantings in their daily life.

Our exhibition was a great success in 2021.

• Download the Floriade Community Information Pack located at floriadeaustralia.com which outlines key dates, requirements and links to the online application form.
• With an indication of support from members and industry DRA will submit an application.

Deakin/Yarralumla road closure update

Construction works are progressing to upgrade three intersections along Kent/Novar streets.

Based on the current program progress, the current closures including Dudley Street, Kent Street bridge and the Adelaide Avenue off-ramp will be completed at the end of March (weather permitting).

We understand these closures are impacting travel times, particularly during the morning peak period on weekdays.

To help ease the traffic impact to local residents, stop/slow traffic controller arrangements will be in place at the Hopetoun Circuit interchange during the morning peak period on weekdays from Wednesday 15 March until the closures are lifted.

When these road closures are lifted at the end of March, major road works for this project will be complete with traffic lights operational at the three intersections. This brings the program forward by around six months.

Minor works will continue beyond March, including landscaping work. These works will be conducted outside of peak travel times and are not expected to cause traffic disruptions.

Updates will continue to be provided via the project page and email.

If you have any questions, please email communityengagement@act.gov.au.

The Deakin Residents’ Association (DRA) believes that, in relation to the draft Inner South Canberra District Strategy, urban intensification should be rejected on economic, social, environmental, cultural, and heritage grounds.

We have commented on the Meccone report on infill and densification and the connection to justifying light rail 2b.

In our response to the Draft Strategy, we have also addressed cultural and heritage issues environmental issues, social issues and concerns about the future of the Deakin shopping center.

Our submission can be found at the link below.

DRA-Comments-on-draft-Inner-South-Canberra-District-Strategy-GRW.pdf

On the 14th of February over 200 Yarralumla and Deakin residents packed the Yarralumla primary school hall to listen to speakers from both the Yarralumla and Deakin Residents Associations and Richard Johnston and Albert Obderdorf who have a planning background, on how the impacts of the proposed new planning framework.

The slide presentations from Dr. Diana Wright (YRA) and Dr. John Bell (DRA) and those of the invited speakers are on the YRA website — Presentations from Public Information Session.

A survey was conducted and

• 97.5% of those that attended the meeting did not support extensive high density, high rise, and densification of our suburbs as proposed by the ACT Government.
  • The scale of the development proposed is seen as excessive with some 30 %to 50% of the suburb becoming 3-6+ storey apartments. This will change the character of our suburb forever.
  • All of this is to developments at the Yarralumla Brickworks and CSIRO Forestry redevelopments.

• The proposed new planning framework will impact existing tree canopy cover and create urban heat islands (all in a period of significant climate change).

 The community has until 3 March 2023 to submit views on the proposed new planning framework. The DRA committee believes residents should submit their own views to supplement those of the committee.

The outcomes and issues discussed at the 14 February meeting have also been posted to assist you in this process.

ISCCC Public Forum: 7 Feb: Implications for Inner South Residents of Draft New Territory Plan and District Strategy

Residents only have until 3 March to provide their views to the ACT Government on its draft new Territory Plan and District Strategy. It’s an improvement on the previous deadline of 14 February, but it’s still tight.

Due to the tight timeframe, and the complexity of what’s being proposed, the ISCCC has brought forward its public forum on these issues to Tuesday, 7 February, at 7-9pm at the Eastlake Football Club, 3 Oxley Street, Griffith.

Please register to attend on Eventbrite: 

ISCCC Public Forum-7 February 2023 Tickets, Tue, Feb 7, 2023 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Attached is the agenda for the public forum. After overviews of the implications of the draft new Territory Plan and inner south district strategy, there will be break-out groups to identify and gain feedback on, implications for specific suburbs and for heritage. This will be an in-person event only.

Besides the public forum, the ISCCC also plans to reach out to a range of other stakeholder groups on the issues, for example, ACTCOSS, Advocacy for Inclusion, First Nations, Conservation Council, industry groups, and others, as we cannot cover it all on 7 February.

Note for Deakin, Forrest and Yarralumla residents: there will be more detail about the implications for your suburbs at a separate meeting at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 14 February at the Yarralumla Primary School Hall, organised by the Deakin and Yarralumla Residents Associations. However, we will still have a break-out table available for you if you attend on 7 February.

At the ISCCC’s November 2022 public forum/AGM, ACT Government speakers gave an overview of the new draft Inner South District Strategy and new draft Territory Plan. – https://www.isccc.org.au/draft-record-of-agm-forum-8… 

Members of the ISCCC Committee and member residents’ groups have been analysing the many hundreds of pages of documents to identify key issues and implications for inner south residents. We will summarise what we’ve learnt so far and seek your feedback on 7 February.

Another trend which is disturbing the DRA committee is the proliferation of front fences rather than hedges.

We wonder about the application of the rules which state that you will need development approval for a fence between a privately owned property and unleased Territory land (including areas such as parks, reserves, public access areas, street frontage, a laneway and other landscaped buffer areas) unless exempt from requiring approval.
All fences are built and maintained at the cost of the private property owner.

Approval is not required for:

• hedges
• property demarcation treatments that are up to 400mm above the natural ground level
• repair or replacement of fences if they are the same as the approved original
• side or rear boundary fences between neighbours up to 2.3m above natural ground level and located behind the front building line